nma trip story

The 10 cadets and 2 staff assembled at the Squadron ready to join the Holbeach Branch of the Royal British Legion and the ACF on the coach to travel to visit the National Memorial Arboretum and the Armed Forces Memorial in particular.

Arriving on a very busy Sunday with the Royal Marines Association dedicating their new memorial in the grounds of the Arboretum there was plenty to see on the day. The cadets and staff walked around the gardens reading the various plaques and memorials on display. Described as quite an emotional day seeing so many names and memorials on show, mid-afternoon everyone's heads turned skywards and silence fell, only broken by the unforgettable sound of 6 Rolls Royce Merlin's flying in perfect formation of the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight made three flypasts overhead. Everyone was moved by the sight of these majestic aircraft overhead such a poignant setting as the Arboretum.

At 4pm everyone gathered at the Armed Forces Memorial, firstly for some memorable photographs of the cadets, ATC and ACF together with the RBL in front of this magnificent structure, built to remember the 16,000 Service men and women killed on duty or by terrorist action since the end of the Second World War, engraved in stone around its walls. A hollow square was formed with the RBL in the centre flanked by the ACF and ATC whilst branch chairman Mr David Ragless said the homage and then all stood in front of a crowd of visitors who all joined in the minute's silence. Following the Silence, wreaths were laid by Mr Ragless, L/Cpl Jake Smith, Lincolnshire ACF and Sergeant Charlotte Wilson of 2430 (Holbeach) Squadron Air Training Corps.

All around who were watching were impressed by the impromptu parade and wreath laying which could not have failed to add a little something to their visit to this remarkable memorial

More pictures can be fond on the galllery pages of 2430 online